Lysophospholipase (LPL) is a widely distributed enzyme which occurs in numerous isoforms. These isoforms vary in molecular mass, substrate metabolized, and optimum pH required for activity, and they regulate the activity of intracellular lipids. Small isoforms, approximately 15-30 kD, function as hydrolases; large isoforms, those exceeding 60 kD function both as transacylases and hydrolases. LPLs hydrolyze lysophosphatidylcholine to produce saturated fatty acid and sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and they are regulated by lipid factors such as acylcarnitine, arachidonic acid and phosphatidic acid.
Sugimoto, H. et al. (1996; J. Biol. Chem. 271:7705-7711) isolated a monomeric, 24 kD LPL from rat liver which hydrolyzed lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanol-amine, lysophosphatidylinositol, lysophosphatidylserine, and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine at pH 6-8.0. In an assay measuring LPL hydrolysis of 1-palmitoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine, the substrate dependence curve was sigmoidal, the enzyme was active from pH 5.5-9.0, and activity was not affected by Ca.sup.2+, Mg.sup.2+, or EDTA. K.sub.m and V.sub.max were calculated to be 0.17 mM and 1.55 .mu.M/min/mg.
The cDNA for this LPL was isolated, and the deduced amino acid sequence showed a conserved GXSXG motif and similarity to esterases from Pseudomonas fluorescence and Spirulina platensis. Transcripts encoding LPL were isolated from spleen, heart, brain, lung, stomach, testis, and liver. Experiments showed that DMSO treatment of an HL-60 (myelocytic leukemia) cell line induced granulocyte differentiation, produced a 3-fold increase in the 24 kD LPL, and correlated with the release of arachidonic acid.
The role of LPL in human tissues has been investigated in various research studies. When lysophosphatidylcholine is formed or imported into the cell membrane, it causes lysis. Selle, H. et al. (1993; Eur. J. Biochem. 212:411-416) characterized the role of LPL in the hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine in erythrocyte membranes. Endresen, M. J. et al. (1993) Scand. J. Clin. Invest. 53:733-739) reported that the increased release of free fatty acids into the sera of pre-eclamptic women is attributable to the hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine by LPL. In renal studies, LPL was shown to protect NA.sup.+,K.sup.+ -ATPase from the cytotoxic and cytolytic effects of cyclosporin A. (Anderson, R. et al. (1994) Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 125:176-183.)
The discovery of a human lysophospholipase and the polynucleotides encoding it satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions which are useful in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disorders associated with cell proliferation, inflammation, and immune response.